John H. Dane, who began work as chief executive officer at NORCAL on Aug. 6, 2012, has left the organization after about seven months. The board president of the California association of flower growers and shippers, Patricia Mullen of Mayesh Wholesale Florists in Los Angeles, told The Produce News in a phone interview March 21 that the organization would begin a search process to replace Mr. Dane.

A notice about Mr. Dane’s departure was sent to board members on March 25. It announced Mr. Dane’s departure, and said, “We appreciate the work that was accomplished while John was CEO, and we wish him much success in his future endeavors. Board President Pat Mullen along with staff will continue to oversee the association in the interim, and day-to-day operations will continue uninterrupted.”

Mr. Dane confirmed in a March 20 email message to The Produce News that he had left the association, but said little else about his departure. “It is true I am no longer employed at NORCAL,” he wrote.

A search firm may be engaged to help secure a new chief executive officer, Ms. Mullen said, and a target date to have a new person on the job has not been set. “We want to take as long as needed to get the right person,” she said in the interview.

Mr. Dane was hired in summer 2012 after a search that began when the job was posted in March 2012.